Coating machine



R. D. SCHOENWETTER.

COATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2. I919.

Patented May 23, 1922;

3 SHEETSSHEET D. SCHOENWETTER COATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION mp0 JULY2 ]Patented May 23, 1922.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

R. D. SCHOENWETTER.

comma MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULYZ, I919.

Patented May 23, 11922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

RETNHOLD D. SCHOENWET'IEJR, 01F BALTIMORE, 1*

rnanp, Assrornon, er ransnn 'ASSIGNMENT$, TO THE NATIONAL MANUFACTURINGCOMPANY, 015 BALTIMORE,

MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND.

GUATING MACHINE.

ill 446,934..

Patented llllay 23, T322.

original application filed May 17, 1917, Serial No. 169,246. Divided andthis application filed July 2, 1919. Serial No. 308,134.

To all whom it may cance /m Be it known that T, REINHOLD D. SoHonN-WETTER, a citizenof the United States, residing at Baltimore, in theState of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful llmprovements inCoating Machines; and I do hereby declare the followlng to be a full,clear, and exact description of the nvention, such as will enable othersskilled 1n the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention-relates to coating machines.

This is a divisional application from m co-pending application Ser.#169248, filed May 17, 1917, for cigar band ng mach ne.

he object of my invent1on 1s to provide an improved wetting mechanlsmfor cigar banding machines though it shouldbe understood that I do notlimit my invention to this specific application, as the principlesthereof may be applied to labeling and analogous machines generally.

More specifically considered, my present invention relates toimprovements in band wetting mechanisms for use with those cigar bandingmachines in which a supply of cigar bands, each having a dry gummed end,is carried in a magazine stacked one upon the other and delivered one ata time to a wetting mechanism and then to the bandapplying mechanismproper. Tn such machines, it is of great importance that the guamedportion of the band be so moistened that it will not be too wet or toodry when it reaches the band applying mechanism and that the moistureapplying means shall not remove the gum from the band.

In order to fully describe my said invention, reference will be had tothe accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan viewof my improved mechanism with parts omitted for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section, partly in elevation, of my improvedmechanism.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in section, of the wettingmechanism.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the wetting mechanism, shownlongitudinally.

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Tu the machine, the cigar bands are carried stacked in any suitablemagazine, not shown,

section on the andthe bands 11 are removed therefrom by suction,asuction head 35 being provided rigidly mounted upon one end of acrooked metal tube 36, rigidly secured to a supporting y forward end ofone of the cylinders 44 of a double air pump 44 driven from a disk 45having an eccentric groove 46, in which travels a roller 47 carried by alever 48., connected through a link 49 to the piston cross head 50 ofthe air pump. The disk 45 is mounted upon a shaft 51 which receives itsmotion from power shaft 34 through a sprocket gearing 34, 52 and 53.

The bands are removed from the magazine by the above described suctionmechanism and are delivered to a conveyor which comprises a pair ofmetal belts 59 and 60, traveling respectively upon flanged rollers 61,62, 63 and 64. The rollers 62 and 64 are provided with equally spacedperipheral pins 65 and 66 which are adapted to extend through equallyspaced openings 67 and 68 in the respective belts and thereby imparttravel thereto. The rollers 62 and 64 are fast on the shaft 69 and areconnected through gears 70 and 71 to a ratchet 72 mounted on a studshaft 73.

This ratchet is adapted to receive motion from a pawl 74 carried by anarm 7 5 mounted for rocking motion on shaft 73, which motion is impartedto said arm through a lever 76 connected thereto through a link 77, thelever 76 being integral with the collar 26,

and the collar 26 in turn being fast with the rock shaft 27. Also faston this shaft is an arm 28 and this arm receives rocking motion from thelever 30 which carries a roller 31 traveling in a cam slot 32 in oneface of the disk 33 fast on the power shaft 34, hereinbefore described.Arm 28 is connected to the lever30 by means of the link 29.

Fast on the conveyor belts 59 and 60, respectively, are a series ofspring clips 78 and 79 spaced at regular intervals thereon in sucharrangement as to form pairs in which the till too

clips of the respective pairs lie exactly opposite each other and are ina line at right angles to the lengthwise direction of the bands. Thefunction of these clips is to remove the bands one at a time from thesuction head and hold them in position on the conveyor belts until theyare removed there from, as hereinafter described.

The wetting mechanism comprises, amongst other parts, a trough or tank80 in which is carried a supply of water 81 and into which is adapted toextend a roller 82 fast on a shaft 83, connected through the gearing 84,85 and 86 to the shaft 69 so as to impart to the roller 82 the samesurface velocity as that to the conveyor belts 59 and60. A presserroller 87 ournaIed in bearings 88 and 89 (see Fig. 4), verticallymovable in an overhanging bracket 90, is normally held in peripheralengagement with the roller 82 under the compression of springs 91 and92, the tension of which may be regulated by screws 93 and 94. Rollers82 and 87 are located at one side of the conveyor belt 60 (at the rightin Fig. 1) at such distance that the gummed end of each cigar bandcarried by the conveyor belts will pass between'said rollers.

The tank 80 is mounted for horizontal movement in two guide supports 95and 96 and is adjustable horizontally by a screw 97.

This arrangement affords a means for adjusting the wetting rollershorizontally.

The mechanism for removing the bands from the conveyor belts comprises,amongst other parts, a hinged or pivotally mounted stripper 98consisting of a yoke having arms 99 and 100 carrying on their outer endsrollers 101 and, 102, respectively, which travel upon plates 103 and104, rigidly secured to the machine frame and having their forward endsbent downward to form inclined planes 105 and 106 on which the rollers101 and 102 travel as hereinafter more particularly described. The arms99 and 101 carry pins 107 and 108 which, when said arms travel forward,engage a band on the conveyor belt and carry it forward until itsforward edge engages with two stop pins 109 and 110 fast on plates 103and 104, respectively. hen the bands are brought to this position, asuction head 111 rises into engagement therewith, draws the engaged band17 downward and delivers it to the banding unit 112 indicated bydottedlines in Fig. 2. The banding unit per so, however,- does notconstitute any part of the present invention and for that reason neednot here be described in detail.

The stripper or yoke 98 is hinged to the upper end of a rocker arm 113and the rollers 101 and 102 are held in engagement with the plates 103and 104 under the tension of a spring 114.. The rocker arm 113 receivesmotion from a lever 115 connected to it through a link 116. the lever115 receiving its motion from a disk 117 having an eccentric or camgroove 118 in which travels a roller 119 carried by the lever 115. Thedisk 11? is fast on a shaft 120 driven by the sprocket gearing 53-421.

The suction head 111 is fast upon the upper end of a metal tube 122 fastto a slide 123 mounted for vertical reci 'irocating motion in the guides124 and connected through a link 125 to a lever 126 having a roller 127which travels in an eccentric groove 128 in one face of the disk 117.The lower end of'the suction tube 122 connects through a flexible tube129 to one end of the pump cylinder 44". The suction heads 35 and 111are similar, except in that the head 111 has but one suction opening 130through its top, whereas the head 35 has two such openings.

For the purpose of forming an upper stop or anvil for the hands whenengaged by the suction head 111 in rising, there is provided a plate 131rigidly secured to the machine frame and extending forwardly between theconveyor belts. The operation of my improved coating machine is asfollows It will be assumed that the shaft 34 is in rotation andcontinues so throughout a complete cycle of the machine. By means of themovement imparting mechanism described, the continued rotation of theshaft 34 results in the step-by-step travel of the conveyor belts 59 and60; an up and down motion of the suction heads 35 and 111; a forward andbackward movement of the stripper device 98, and reciprocating motion ofthe pump pistons.

At the beginning of the cycle, the tube 36 rises, thereby causing thesuction head 35 to travel upward and bringing the top surface of thesuction head into engagement with the lowermost band of the stack ofbands in the magazine, not shown. This movement completely seals thesuction head and at this instant the pistons of the pumps 44 and .44start on their outward strokes, thereby creating suction against theband in engagement with the suction head and holding it firmly thereon.After pausing with the suction head in the position described, tube 36travels downward, causing the suction head 35 to descend and carry theband held thereon by suction with it. The suction head 35 continues itstravel downward until it reaches the position indicated in Fig. 2 withthe band held just above the conveyor belts. the said band being stillheld on the suction head by suction. The conveyor belts now advance onestep under the action of the ratchet and pawl mechanism 7277hereinbefore described, whereupon a, pair of the clips 78 and 79engagethe cigar hand held by the suction head 35, remove it from saidsuction head and carry it to the next stopping position (A). After theclips release engage the band, as described, the pump pistons reversetheir stroke, thereby'releasing the suction applied to the head35.

On the next step of the conveyor belts, the band is brought to positionB when it stops again, and on the next succeeding step, passes betweenthe wetting rollers and on to the next stopping position C, and iscarried along step by step, through the action of the pawl 74 on theratchet 72 to the position D, then the arm 113 rocks forward, whereuponthe pins107 and 108 engage the band, push it forward out of itsretaining clips and position its forward edge against the pins 109 and110, thus correcting any displacement which the band may have undergonein transit and insuring its correctpositioning on the suction head 111.When the arm 113 reaches the limit of its forward stroke, it pauses foran instant. At this time, the suction head 111 moves up and engages theband held between the pins 107-108 and 109110, and the instant thistakes place the piston of the pump cylinder as starts on its suctionstroke, thereby creating a suction on the band in engagement with thesuction head 111. Suction head 111 then travels downward, carrying theband with it, and

after it has reached the limit of its downward travel, the piston of thepump cylinder 14 reverses its stroke and relieves the suction on theband, whereupon it becomes free.

The instant the suction head 111 starts down with a band,-the arm 113rocks back to the position shown in Fig. 2 and the belt conveyoradvances another step.

It will be noted that the wetting of the gummed end of the band takesplace far in advance of its delivery to the band applying mechanism.This gives ample time for the proper softening ofthe gum. It has alsobeen found that soapstone is the best material of which to make theroller 82, such material having relatively little friction. The bestmaterial for the roller 87 is rubber, as this will yield when the bandspass between the two rollers. When these rollers travel at the samesurface velocity as the band passing between them, removal of the gum inthe wetting process is practically eliminated.

It should be understood that, while the expression cigar bands is usedin the accompanying claims, this is intended to include other strips orsheets of flexible material, the. said expression being used merely forconvenience.

I claim 1. The combination with a tank, of a pair of rollers one ofwhich is adapted to extend into liquid in said tank, and the otherconstructed of yieldable material and pressed upon said first-namedroller, and a belt conveyor having band holding means adapted to pass aportion of said bands between said rollers.

. 2. The combination witha tank, of a pair ing band holding meansadapted to cause said'bands to pass between said rollers, and

means to drive said roller in said tank and said conveyor at the samesurface speed.

3. In a..coating machine the combination with a tank, of a wettingroller for coating bands, the peripheral surface of which is composed ofmaterial having relatively little friction with said bands, said rollerbeing mounted with respect to said tank to extend thereinto, a vpresserroller pressing upon said wetting roller, and a conveyor having bandholding means adapted to pass a portion of the bands thereon betweensaid rollers.

4. In a coating machine the combination with a tank, of a wetting rollerfor coating bands, the peripheral surface of which is composed ofmaterial having relatively little friction with said bands, said rollerbeing mounted with respect to said tank to extend thereinto, a 'presserroller pressing upon said wetting roller, and a belt conveyor havingband holding means adapted to pass a portion of the bands thereonbetween said rollers.

5. The combination with a wetting roller, the peripheral surface ofwhich is composed of material having relatively little friction, meansto wet said roller, a presser roller pressing upon said wetting roller,and a conveyor having band holding means and adapted to pass a portionof said bands held thereon between said rollers.

6. The combination with a wetting roller,

means to wet said roller, a presser roller, constructed of yieldablematerial, pressing upon said wetting roller, and a conveyor having bandholding means and adapted to pass a portion of said bands held thereonbetween said rollers.

7. The combination with a wetting roller, means to wet said roller, apresser roller constructed of yieldable material pressing upon saidwetting roller, and a belt conveyor having band holding means andadapted to pass a portion of said bands held thereon between saidrollers.

8. The combination with a tank, of a wetting roller, the'peripheralsurface of which is composed of soapstone, said roller being mountedwith respect to said tank to extend thcreinto, a presser rollerco-acting with said wetting roller, and a conveyor having band holdingmeans adapted to cause the bands thereon to pass between said rollers.

9. The combination with a wetting roller,

the peripheral surface of which is composed bands held thereon to passbetween said rollers.

10. The combination with a wetting roller, of means to wet said roller,i roller pressing against said wetting roller, a belt conveyor havingband holding means for passing a portion of a hand held thereb betweensaid rollers, and means to drive sai conveyor and wetting roller atsubstantially the same surface s eed.

11. he combination with a wetting roller, of means to wet said roller, apresser roller adapted to .co-act with said wetting roller, a beltconveyor having hand holding means, and means positively acting step bystep to drive said conveyor and wetting roller at substantially the samesurface speed.

12. In a coating machine the combination with a roller for coatingbands, the peripheral surface of which is of material having a lowcoefiicient of friction with said bands, of means to wet said roller, apresser roller adapted to co-act with said Wetting roller and having aperipheral surface of material having a different coefiicient offriction with t said bands from the first mentioned roller,

and band conveying mechanism adapted to cause a gummed portion of thebands to pass between said rollers.

13. In a coating machine the combination with a roller for coatingbands, the periph eral surface of which is of material having a lowcoefiicient of friction with said bands, of means to wet said roller, apresser roller adapted to co-act with said wetting roller and having aperipheral surface of material having a relatively high coefiicient offriction with said bands, and band conveying mechanism adapted to causea gummed rtion of the bands to pass between said rollia rs.

14. The combination with a roller, the peripheral surface of which iscomposed of soapstone, of means to wet said roller, a presser rolleradapted to co-act with said wetting roller and having a peripheralsurface composed of soft rubber, and band conveying mechanism adapted tocause a gummed portion of the bands to pass between said rollers. I

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signaare.

REINHOLD D. SCHOENWETTER.

